Coffee has a prominent place everywhere around the globe and more so in Ethiopia. In Ethiopia people entertain their guests by offering coffee for which its unique preparation process tantalizes the sense of all those present in the area through the aroma it emits while roasting it and long after that.
The pounding to make a powder of the roasted coffee beans to boil and this, too, attracts people from distance, creating a craving to get a drink of the hot steaming cup of the coffee; customarily, it is a minimum of two small cups made for coffee only. The amount of coffee fixed in every house is in view of the number of people invited in the immediate neighborhood.
Coffee prepared in one house becomes the interest of all those around. Without the participation of people, other than the household member of the host, the occasion loses the beauty therein. The surprising and the interesting part of coffee celebration for one thing is that it bears the right of communal claimant, whoever brews it, as long it is in the neighborhood, especially the ones in next door. As much as people claim the right of partaking in the coffee drinking, the host also expects the presence of all unless someone is bed ridden or away from the area.
Despite these excuses, the host assumes that the person who fails to attend the ceremony appears to have held grudges against the host and seriously considers the situation. Thus, such occurrence leaves a big rift in the relationship between the two. It is keenly anticipated and sometimes becomes an unforgivable offense. From this point of view, the essence of the binding force of the ceremony, unless corrected in time, gradually wanes; it becomes less or weaker.
Traditionally, coffee ceremony accompanies certain activities that seem to gives it an aura of holiness, however holiness is defined. In the process of the preparation of coffee, first and foremost, quite a number of small cups on a kind of small, table-like object, locally known as rekebot, are brought to the place where people are supposed to gather for the coffee ceremony. Along with it comes a furnace-like object filled with charcoal for roasting the coffee and a clay pot in which the coffee is brewed is also an indispensable item.
It is most preferred to roast the coffee while the people are around. The smoke of the roasted coffee rises, filling the air with its tantalizing aroma and making the people extremely excited. As soon as the coffee is ready to be served, a handful of popcorn is scattered around on the floor and a cup of coffee is sprinkled in and outside the room. Customarily, along with the coffee, something for a bite, like popcorn, roasted barley, or a piece of bread is passed around. The act of sprinkling is explained as allowing the unseen guests to partake of the ceremony.
Different meanings are also attached to it; many believe that there is a spirit that equally needs coffee. There is a belief that if this is not done, the spirit might get angry and harms those who deny him the joy of drinking or sniffing or whatever he does. Sprinkling petals of flower and lighting a candle is also part of the ceremony on some special occasions. At this time, a special cloth is donned by the woman who fixes the coffee to appease the spirit and get something from him in return.
In addition, it is assumed that there is a magical power attached to coffee in which some people, among the participants, are specially gifted to prophesy for a person using the residue of the coffee he left in his cup. Some people are much convinced that the prophecy will be fulfilled; to the writer it is more of superstition.
In the country side setting, women fix coffee three times a day: in the morning, during the day and lastly in the evening. These occasions are expected with pleasure by all people living in the close proximity to one another. Some unfounded beliefs asserts that when the devils were cast down to earth from heaven, some fell on certain plants like coffee and other addictive substances; that is why they are preferred much by most people everywhere.
The stimulating effect of coffee creates immediate relief and excitement. That is the reason why it is prepared repeatedly (twice or thrice) every day. If not all, a great majority of people, that use coffee, fall under its addictive power. Since the circumstance draws the people together, it serves as a forum for various personal and social issues. In times of misunderstanding between two persons, the other participants make it their bounden duty to create peace, as the ceremony is not fully enjoyable in the presence two persons who are not in good terms.
As people flock into the coffee house from different directions, exchanging greetings is the first thing expected from each participant. The absence or the unwillingness one to accept the greeting of the other is a sheer indication that there is a problem among some people and that calls for immediate solution; that is one of the purposes why the people get together in the exciting mood.
In coffee beverage, its taste, smell and whether it makes one alert and happy matter a lot. Everyone has his favorite taste. It is believed that there are over thirty different types which we try to confine them to the most commonplace coffee available: the local Ethiopian coffee prep type, Coffee Americano, Café Latte, Cappuccino, Espresso and all the rest. Except the local beverage, the rest are inaccessible to the general population of Ethiopia because of their extremely high price.
It is believed that coffee (coffee Arabica), is originated in south west Ethiopia in Kafa zone. Apparently, the name coffee is derived from the word Kafa and later the coffee was spread to all parts of the country and eventually to many other countries around the globe.
Nevertheless, more than 64% of coffee production comes from Oromia, 35% from SNNP and the remaining 1% comes from Gambela Regional State. The irony of it is that in such a country where there is abundant coffee produce, the chance of enjoying a good quality coffee beverage has lately become impossible.
The type of coffee available in the shops is that which cannot qualify international quality standard, rather the reject which is imposed on the great majority of the population (more than 80%, of which the figure keeps rising). After all such crisis does affect the few rich for everything is at their disposal owing to their money power.
The argument here is that it is a must for a country like Ethiopia to earn foreign currency exchange through the exportation of coffee; that goes without saying. But the type that cannot meet the international standard at least should not be out of the reach of the citizens for being too expensive. Apparently, despite the promise of the government to regulate prices of food items that includes coffee, the objective reality indicates that nothing has at all changed, rather it is getting worse. The shops do not budge a bit and keep increasing the prices by the day without check of any form.
Culturally, coffee has a prominent place, especially in inviting a friend to share food together. The common expression related to the issue is ‘let’s have coffee’. In the time past, thing were easily access; coffee was among the cheapest beverage crops. All could afford to buy it with little money. But currently, let alone offering food, inviting a cup of coffee is becoming very difficult.
As much as the quality of coffee for the local consumption substandard, the price diametrically rises. Street and verandah venders charge so much that it has become more and more impossible for many to enjoy it; the growth of earning is not proportional to the price rise. Good quality coffee, name it forest or organic, is placed at sky-height distance to the poor; leave alone drinking it, they cannot even think about it, but they might enjoy the aroma emitted when it is roasted in the nearby houses of the rich.
We hope that the tide of such incompatible situation will eventually ebb and the people can easily it access and enjoy the good quality coffee that the country is endowed with the gift of nature, the exquisite handiwork of God. Let us all strive to make plausible achievement towards averting such a grim situation!
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 15 September 2019
BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
